This report presents statistics for persons 5 years old and over on birthplace, cross-classified by residence in 1955 and in 1960, and by age, sex, color, nativity, and education. The focus is on the interstate migration of the native population. The age distribution is in terms of 5-year intervals, with a terminal age group 75 years old and over. Years of school completed is shown for the population 25 to 64 years old. All of the statistics are based on a 25-percent sample of the population.
The PC(1)-C reports contain statistics on mobility status and year moved into present house for States, by urban-rural residence, standard metropolitan statistical areas (SMSA's), urbanized areas, urban places of 10,000 or more, and counties. The PC(1)-D reports present statistics on mobility status and region of origin by age, sex, and color, for States and for cities of 250,000 or more.
The United States Summary reports for these two series, PC(1)-1C and PC(1)-1D, give totals for the Nation and its regions and geographic divisions. Furthermore, PC(1)-1D shows region of residence in 1955 by region of residence in 1960 and the net gain or loss for each region by interregional migration.
Statistics on place of residence in 1955 are presented in the Census Tract reports, Series PHC(1). Movers living in each census tract are classified by 1955 residence as follows: (1) Central city of this SMSA, (2) other part of this SMSA, and (3) outside this SMSA. The last category is further subdivided into "North and West" and "South." Other 1960 Census reports on mobility are PC(2)-2A, State of Birth, PC(2)-2B, Mobility for States and State Economic Areas, and PC(2)-2C, Mobility for Metropolitan Areas. Additional statistics on the mobility of the population are included in some other PC(2) reports and in some PC(3) reports.
The 1950 Census included four special reports on mobility, namely, Volume IV, Part 4A, State of Birth; Part 4B, Population Mobility- States and State Economic Areas; Part 4C, Population Mobility-Farm and Nonfarm Movers; and Part 4D, Population Mobility-Characteristics of Migrants. Additional data on mobility were presented in Volume IV Special Reports on other subjects. Mobility data for 1950 were based on a 1-year interval rather than a 5- year interval. The 1950 reports for States, Volume II, Characteristics of the Population, include statistics on residence in 1949 for the State, for standard metropolitan statistical areas, urbanized areas, urban, places with 10,000 or more population in 1950, and. for counties. Data on mobility status were also presented for census tracts in Volume III of the 1950 reports.
The 1940 Census, in which for the first time data were obtained on the mobility of the population during a fixed period of time, used, a 5-year interval (1935 to 1940) and hence from this standpoint is comparable to the 1960 Census. Although the population schedule called for a report on all changes of usual residence, in the main tabulations, persons moving from one house to another within the same county, or quasi county, were not distinguished from those in the same house at both dates. All these persons, as well as children under 5 years old, were described as "nonmigrants" in the 1940 reports. Data were presented for the United States, regions, geographic divisions, States, urban and rural, and individual cities of 100,000 inhabitants or more. The statistics were published in four special reports of the Sixteenth Decennial Census, which were entitled Color and Sex of Migrants, Age of Migrants, Economic Characteristics of Migrants, and Social Characteristics of Migrants. Additional statistics on migration were contained in some of the special reports on other subjects.
Statistics on State of birth have been published in the reports of every census beginning with that of 1850. The 1950 Census, however, was the first from which State of birth data were tabulated by age.
Current Population Survey
Sample data on mobility during the preceding year have been collected annually since 1948 in the Current Population Survey and. have been published mostly in Current Population Reports, Series P-20. Earlier surveys at irregular intervals covered other periods back to 1940.
Estimates of net migration
Estimates of net migration including net immigration from abroad by States and counties have been computed for the decade 1950 to 1960. The State estimates are published in Current Population Reports, Series P-25, No. 247, and the county estimates in Series F-23, No. 7. The methods of computing net migration and net civilian migration, by the so-called "residual method" are explained in this report. Similar estimates of net migration can also be computed by age, sex, and color; and such estimates have been published by a number of agencies.
Availability of Unpublished Data
The statistics appearing in this report by geographic division of 1960 residence are also available for (1) States and their urban-rural parts, (2) SMSA's of 250,000 or more, subdivided into (a) central cities, and (b) outlying rings, with the latter subdivided into their urban-rural parts. It was necessary to limit some cross-classifications of published data to divisions, but the data are available on tape by State for all three-time references. Inquiries concerning unpublished data should be transmitted to the Bureau as soon as possible because the tape files are not maintained indefinitely. Requests for unpublished data may be made by writing to the Chief, Population Division, Bureau of the Census, Washington 25, D.C., and giving a specific description of the figures desired.